This invention relates generally to digital cameras and, more precisely, to wireless adapters to enable control of and feedback from digital cameras from remote wirelessly enabled devices.
Digital cameras, including digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and digital video cameras, are pervasive in the field of photography and videography. Digital cameras provide a large number of features including near immediate feedback and viewing, and a large number of settings and adjustments that can be made. However, it is not always convenient, efficient, or practical to physically control the camera. The camera may be located out of reach such as on a pole, jib, boom, or in a building's rafters and would be impractical to be physically co-located. Or the camera may be positioned low to ground and looking through the viewfinder or manipulating the controls could be difficult. Remote control can also advantageous when the photographer would like to be in the photograph or when being co-located with the camera could be dangerous such as near animals or in inclement weather. A means of remotely controlling a digital camera can provide great assistance to a photographer. Similarly, it may be advantageous for a photographer to transmit data, images, or video back to other interested parties in a separate location, which could also allow immediate editing or further transfer or images or video. Remotely transmitting images and video can also allow remote and/or backup storage.
Existing solutions for remote control of digital cameras have drawbacks. Simplistic solutions exist, but are more limited in their application to controls such as triggering an image or automatically transferring images, and do not encompass more complete control due to limitations in each approach. Lastly, more feature complete solutions exist but are either hardware built into the camera or dedicated solely for the use of a single or very small number of camera models.